+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Are the Shelby Dakota, Indy Ram, SS/T, and R/T pretty close in performance?

  1. #1
    wh23g3g's Avatar
    Senior Member

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Snellville, GA
    Posts
    484

    Default Are the Shelby Dakota, Indy Ram, SS/T, and R/T pretty close in performance?

    I know the Shelby Dakota only had the 5.2 but it was designed to be a performance sport truck in 1989. Are the Shelby Dakota, R/T, Indy Ram and SS/T pretty close in performance? I'd like to try and find one of the others if I can't find another good R/T. Either a Shelby, Indy Ram or SS/T. Would the Shelby Dakota actually be harder to find parts for? Because I notice it's not listed as a specific model at some of the parts stores catalogs. Like I remember it had an electric fan. Would you ever be able to find that if you needed it? I actually see more Shelby Dakotas come up for sale than SS/T's.

  2. #2

    evilrt's Avatar
    Senior Member

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Location
    Flint, MI
    Posts
    309

    Default

    Indy and SST same drive train, bigger heavier truck. All being equal, slower. Shelby would be harder to find than a nice R/T and slower. Stock for stock on all these.
    Mike Williams
    #001



    98 DA RC GrapeJuice
    99 BLK CC (Buy Back)
    00 BLK RC ProCharged -Hotchkis - on and on (Sold)
    01 AF CC (Leased - Turned in)

  3. #3
    wh23g3g's Avatar
    Senior Member

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Snellville, GA
    Posts
    484

    Default

    There's one in my area. I'm sure some have seen it. It's the 89 Shelby Dakota. Says it needs a fuel pump and transmission work. They're asking $3700, I think it's too much. Since the 5.2 wasn't available in the regular Dakota's in that year I'm assuming some of the parts maybe hard to track down.

  4. #4

    Default

    The 5.2L (318 cu in) engine was probably the most popular V8 that Chrysler every produced so I would think getting parts of any kind would be fairly easy. Was the Shelby Dakota specially built by Shelby or just a stock 5.2L from Dodge?

  5. #5

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by wh23g3g View Post
    I know the Shelby Dakota only had the 5.2 but it was designed to be a performance sport truck in 1989. Are the Shelby Dakota, R/T, Indy Ram and SS/T pretty close in performance? I'd like to try and find one of the others if I can't find another good R/T. Either a Shelby, Indy Ram or SS/T. Would the Shelby Dakota actually be harder to find parts for? Because I notice it's not listed as a specific model at some of the parts stores catalogs. Like I remember it had an electric fan. Would you ever be able to find that if you needed it? I actually see more Shelby Dakotas come up for sale than SS/T's.
    The Shelby had a 1/4 time of 16.5 or at least a full second slower than the R/T. Depending on what you think is "close" if that helps.
    The 318 is really crammed into that engine compartment on the Shelby. They had to use an electric fan as there was no room for standard clutch type.

    The truck was a "Shelby" in name only.

  6. #6

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by spence340 View Post
    The 5.2L (318 cu in) engine was probably the most popular V8 that Chrysler every produced so I would think getting parts of any kind would be fairly easy. Was the Shelby Dakota specially built by Shelby or just a stock 5.2L from Dodge?
    It was a stock 318. Only thing they did differently was to include an air inlet directly into carb which was alleged to produce 5 hp for a total of 175 HP.
    At the time, it was the 2nd fastest pick up truck in existence. The Lil Red Wagon was the fastest.

  7. #7

    Default

    Sounds like your best bet would be to look for another R/T, probably a lot easier to find than a Shelby and I would assume for a lot less money. The R/T has quite a bit more performance and handles better as well. I had a loaded 1996 Dakota once and it was a nice truck and I had some parts kicking around that I sold to a guy who had a Shelby and it was pretty cool but it was the only one I ever saw.

  8. #8
    wh23g3g's Avatar
    Senior Member

    Status
    Offline
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Snellville, GA
    Posts
    484

    Default

    Are the Shelby's technology a little more easier to maintain than the R/T's? I know it has the tbi with the one injector, similar to the 1986 Plymouth Reliant I had.

+ Reply to Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may post new threads
  • You may post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •